Apparatus for preventing twisting of flexible electric cords



A. W. KEDDLE APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING TWISTING OF FLEXIBLE ELECTRIC CORDS Filed Aug. 11, 1935 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNlTED S'EA'E'ES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING TWISTING OF FLEXIBLE ELECTRIC CORDS Application August 11, 1933, Serial No. 684,645

2 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for preventing the twisting and kinking of flexible electric cords, such, for example, as the cords or conductors employed on telephone instruments from the receiver to the pedestal and from the bell box to the pedestal, wherein due to'the relative disposition of receiver, pedestal and bellbox each cord is bent back upon itself to form a bight.

Inasmuch as these cords are composed of many very fine stranded wires, the assembly being insulated and covered on the outside with a braid or loom, the cords have an inherent tendency to twist, with the result that in telephone installations, for instance, where as above mentioned bights are formed in the cords of the instrument when the legs of the bights touch each other, the cords soon become badly twisted and kinked. This is not only annoying to the user but in time wears and ruptures the braid covering and insulation unfitting the cords for use and necessitating replacement.

I have discovered that this trouble and annoyance may be avoided if a rigid spacing device be applied to the cord in such a manner as to bridge the bight and maintain the legs of the bight out of contact with each other, the extent of separation of the legs of the bight as well as the location of the device being such that the sides or legs of the bight, from the device to the terminals of the cord, in the normal use of the telephone or other instrument to which the cord is attached will be maintained out of contact.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is the provision of a method for preventing the twisting of cords or conductors which due to their installation or use are bent back upon themselves to form a bight, which method comprises maintaining the legs of the bight separated by rigid spacing means so disposed on the legs of the bight that the legs will be maintained separated to the terminals of the cord in the normal use of the instrument to which the cord is attached.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device having the characteristics above indicated which is inexpensive and which can be attached to the cord or conductor without disconnecting the terminals of the cord or conductor, the device while being frictionally held to the cord being shiftable along the cord for the purpose of adjusting the device relatively to the cord terminals, shifting being effected along both legs of the bight simultaneously and in the same direction.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated two embodiments of my invention:

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of my invention 5 applied to the cord extending from the pedestal to the receiver of a telephone instrument and another embodiment applied to the cord extending from the bell box to the pedestal;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one form of the 10 device;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View of another form of my device; and

Fig.' 5 is a section through the device of Fig. l. 5

Referring to the drawing in detail and first of all to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, l and 3 designate two blocks which may be made of wood, papiermach, bakelite, aluminum, metal or other substantially rigid but preferably light weight ma- Z0 terial.

Form-ed in the inner face of each of these blocks are two parallel half-round grooves 3 and 4. These two blocks are adapted to be applied to the legs of a bight 5 in a telephone cord, for 25 example, as shown in Fig. 1, in superimposed relation, the legs t and l of the bight being re ceived by the channels provided by the complementary grooving of the blocks. The two blocks are held to each other with the legs of the bight pinched with a light pressure between them by a small bolt 8, for example, or other suitable device. This construction, as will be apparent, provides a device 9 adapted to be applied to the legs of the bight in a cord or conductor without disconnecting the cord terminals.

It will be appreciated also that while the clamping or pinching pressure on the cord or conductor is sufficient to prevent accidental shifting of the device, yet the device is capable of being moved longitudinally of both legs of the bight simultaneously and in the same direction so as properly to position the device with respect to the cord terminals.

It will be further appreciated that my device is of such a nature that the legs of the bight extending from the device to the cord terminals are maintained in parallel spaced relation so that twisting of the cord is effectually prevented in normal use.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises two blocks It and H provided with parallel grooves l2 and it. An arcuate groove is at the rear end of each of these blocks merges into the grooves l2 and It. The two blocks are clamped with light pressure to the legs of the bight in the cord by bolt l5. When this device is in place the end of the bight may be in the arcuate grooves l4 so as to be concealed. This device which as a whole is designated I6 is shown applied to the legs I! and I8 of the bight in the cord connecting the phone receiver and pedestal.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that I provide against the twisting and kinking of a conductor or cord which is bent back upon itself by spacing the adjacent legs of the bight in the cord by a rigid device so as to maintain separated the legs of the bight extending from the device to the cord terminals.

It will be appreciated also that in the various embodiments of my invention above described the device is adapted to be attached to the cord or conductor without disconnecting the cord terminals from the bell box, pedestal, receiver or other instrument or device to which they may be attached.

I wish it to be understood, furthermore, that my device may be made from any suitable material having the necessary rigidity to produce the desired result and while capable of retaining itself in position on the cord it nevertheless is readily adjustable so as to be capable of taking care of cords of different lengths.

While I have described my invention as applied to telephone cords, it is to be understood that it has application also to other electric cords, such as cords for portable electric machines, for example, vacuum cleaners, electric irons and the like, Where in use the cord is bent back upon itself in the form of a bight.

It is to be understood that the foregoing invention may be embodied in forms other than those hereinabove described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising 10 a body portion having a U-shaped groove formed therein to receive a bight in the cord, the legs of the U extending parallel for a substantial distance and so spaced as to retain the legs of the bight in spaced relation from the point of application to the terminals of the legs of the bight, thereby to prevent twisting of the legs of the bight about each other.

2. A device of the class described comprising a body portion having a U-shaped groove formed therein to receive a bight in the cord, the legs of the U extending parallel for a substantial distance and so spaced as to retain the legs of the bight in spaced relation from the point of application to the terminals of the legs of the bight, thereby to prevent twisting of the legs of the bight about each other, and means for retaining a flexible electric cord in said groove.

ALFRED W. KIDDLE. 

